Detection of various autoantibodies in body fluids is a major part of the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and the detection of cancer. Current methods used in clinical laboratories lack universal standards and include diverse techniques such as immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, and ELISA, the results of which are not usually comparable. In addition, such techniques require measurement of each autoantibody separately, and thus are not practical for parallel, high-throughput analysis of multiple autoantibodies.
Antibodies that are reactive against self-antigens are characteristic of many autoimmune diseases, allergy, and cancer. Self-antigens include a diverse group of cell surface, cytoplasmic, and nuclear antigens with post-translational modifications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,151 to Bolz et al. discloses methods for determining antigen/antibody concentration using sample antibody/antigen immobilized on a solid support. For example, sample antibody is immobilized on the support and then excess labeled antigen is followed. Unreactive labeled antigen is washed and the immunological complex is then measured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,849 to Cambiaso et al. discloses a competitive assay for measuring antigens and antibodies. The presence of antibodies (Ab) and antigens (Ag) in a liquid is detected by mixing the liquid with two different reagents which mutually agglutinate, but whose agglutination is inhibited by the particular Ab or Ag in the assay. By detecting the extent of agglutination, the presence or absence of the Ab or Ag can be confirmed.
U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2006/166268 to Grus et al. discloses diagnosing glaucoma or assessing an individual's risk for developing glaucoma, wherein autoantibodies against ocular antigens are detected and measured in body fluids of an individual, and the autoantibody pattern is correlated with corresponding patterns of healthy individuals and glaucoma patients. The autoantibody pattern consists of at least 10-30 autoantibodies. The autoantibodies are detected and measured in a Western blot assay, chemiluminescence assay, ELISA, or RIA. The autoantibodies may also be detected and measured on a protein chip array using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) or matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry techniques, preferably SELDI mass spectrometry technique.
The parallel detection of an addressable microarray system may be particularly useful in combination with mathematical tools by minimizing the matrix effects that exist between individual assays, such as in ELISAs, because the calibrators and the autoantibodies are analyzed under the same conditions; it therefore will generate comparable results for the measurement of multiple analytes.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for addressable microarrays combined with, for example, artificial intelligence analysis, which can provide additional improvements in high throughput, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy for molecular diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and cancer. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.